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Cornwall-Lebanon applauds South Lebanon police

A school district administrator's letter thanked three officers for their investigation of a game-time threat

By LIAM CASEYFor The Lebanon Daily News

Updated:
11/16/2012 03:00:31 PM EST

IONA - A Cornwall-Lebanon School District representative this week offered his thanks to South Lebanon for the role the township and its police played in investigating what turned out to be an "idle threat" of violence at a recent football game.

Township manager Curtis Kulp on Tuesday night presented the board with a letter from John A. Schlegel, Cornwall-Lebanon's director of secondary education, thanking the township and three police officers in particular who helped looked into a student's tenuous plan to bring a weapon to a game.

Sgt. Kenneth Zimmerman and officers Wade Achey and Sean McCarrick investigated a comment made by a student from an alternative education school who said he would bring a weapon to "the game" on Oct. 19, police Chief Michael Lesher said. An administrator at the school, which township officials did not identify, overheard the comment and alerted police.

Lesher said the police first had to figure out what game to which the student referred. On Oct. 19, Cedar Crest hosted McCaskey High School, while Lebanon hosted Conestoga Valley. The investigation led to the game at Lebanon's Alumni Stadium, Lesher said, and South Lebanon police then passed along their information to city police.

"It turned out to be an idle threat," the chief said Thursday.

Supervisors' Chairman Robert Arnold thanked the department for a "job well done and a police force the township can be proud of."

Chestnut St., sold the board their property in a flood zone. The property is on the northeast corner of Berbec and Kiner avenues, just southeast of Lebanon, and cannot have any structure built on it, officials said.

Kline asked for $1,200 for the 0.2 acre lot, which is near properties that were affected by tropical storms Irene and Lee last year. These properties now sit in flood-hazard areas and, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were purchased and will be torn down.

Arnold tried to find some value to this property and asked if the topsoil could be used as fill for houses that soon will be demolished. Highway foreman Ron Johnson indicated the first eight inches of soil is "a cash cow, and the township could save money in buying fill for the soon-to-be-demolished homes."

In other business:

Kulp presented the board with a letter from Bruce Kohr, who represents Matthew and Hockley Associates of Lebanon, that asked for a bond reduction for the Lebanon Valley Cold Storage facility along Keystone Drive.

Kulp said a site visit determined that improvements have been completed. The board approved Kohr's request.

Kulp said an open house for the newly renovated/updated township building at 1800 S. Fifth Ave. is planned for Dec. 2. But with the project's completion not expected until March, he asked if the open house should be rescheduled for closer to March.

After some debate, Kulp said the date was already printed and mailed in the township newsletter. The board agreed to keep the open house date as planned.

Kulp requested, and the board agreed, that nonuniformed workers in the township have off Christmas Eve. He said the township office will be open, and he will work those hours.

Michele Hawk, director of the Lebanon Community Library, thanked the township for its continued support and the $6,000 it donated last year.